56,000 LEAVE DROGHEDA AREA FOR DAILY WORK
Bid B to create local jobs
THE push is on to stem the flow of a total of 56,000 workers who are pouring out of the Drogheda region on a daily commute to their jobs.
Three Drogheda enterprise organisations have come together to develop a new Commuter strategy to retain the 15,000 skilled workers in the immediate district who leave the town every day, and to encourage more start-ups, multinationals, and remote workers to base themselves in the wider Drogheda region.
‘ The Census 2016 figures highlight that within fifteen minutes of Drogheda town centre, 14,992 of its most talented people travelling outside of the area, clogging up the roads and public transport systems, sitting in over-priced offices and wasting up to the equivalent of six working days per month travelling to the office.’ says Breanndán Casey, Innovation & Enterprise Manager at The Mill Enterprise Hub. ‘Over four out of every ten available workers are commuting outside of the area every day. This is simply unsustainable from an environmental, community, mental well-being, and regional enterprise development perspective, and it is obvious that commuters are craving to have the choice to live and work locally. ‘
Drogheda & District Chamber, The Mill Enterprise Hub, and Love Drogheda Business Improvement District Scheme (BIDS) conducted a commuter survey in March 2020 and commissioned an analysis of the Census 2016 figures in relation to Drogheda’s commuting habits and skills availability.
Over 60% of commuters are travelling for more than one hour each way, with 9% of those in Drogheda spending over 90 minutes commuting each way.
Over half of respondents in the accompanying survey stated that they would take a reduction in salary to find a local job, with the majority saying that they were willing to take a 15% salary reduction.
These Census facts and survey results, alongside the attractive quality of life in Drogheda, indicate that Drogheda is ideally placed to manage a significant increase in jobs”.
‘We’re asking commuters and employers to alter their perception of Drogheda, embrace change, and join our active business community as we develop our Regional Growth Centre status.’ he adds.